Highway guardrail construction



Aug.29,1939. WRBAXTER I Re.21,182

HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTI ON n OriginalF'iled Jan. 16, 1953 INVENTOR.

M7/[cfm Zaxer BY wnyf #uw e w ATTORNEYJ'- Ressued Aug. 29, 1939 PATENT OFFICE HIGHWAY GUARDRAIL CONSTRUCTION William-R. Baxter, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to The EmpireY Plow Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original No. 2,078,704, dated April 27, 1937, Serial' No. 651,971, January 16, 1933. Application for reissue August 24, 1938, Serial No. 226,598

40 Claims.

Highway guard rails when struck by an automobile at high speed are called upon to withstand an enormous load. Heretofore it has been customary to apply coil springs or open expanding springs between the posts and the rail. I have found, however, that a compression coil spring tends to excessively localize the energy on the individual post, and an open expanding type Vof spring opposes progressively less resistance instead of a maintained or increased resistance.

i In accordance with my invention, a construction may now be had which `particularly facilitates dissipation of shock along the system,y and protects the individual post by well sustained resistance. Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative however, of but a few of the various Ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing: Fig. l is a perspective view of a portion of a guard rail construction in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedvertical sectional,detail;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of a detail; Fig, 5 is a plan view showing further constructional features; Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the same; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan View of a modification.

Referring more particularly to the drawing there is shown a longitudinal or guard rail member on suitable support means, which may be posts, or in some cases bridge-elements already 40 existent, as requirements dictate in particular installations and illustrated for instance as posts 3. The guard rail member may be any suitable strong material, as bar, cable, wire mesh, plate, etc., as may be preferred in any given situation, some being more effective than others. It preferably has some resiliency in itself, and in a desirable form may be a sheet metal or plate metal Vmember extending longitudinally and infront of the supporting means. Resilient end take-up anchorages are provided, for instance as springs 4 interposed between the anchor post and a retaining yokey 5 against which nuts 6, are adjustably engaged on the 'screw-threaded ends of the stem 'I. Only one such end take-up anchorage is shown, but it will be understood that Such end take-up anchorage may be provided at either or at bothends of the rail. Interposed between the supporting means or posts 3 and the guard rail member 2 are resilient closed ring members 8 of more or less circular section, and whatever the 5 section form, preferably having outwardly convex rounded front faces, these being held to the posts or supports, while the rail 2 is connected in such manner as to allowlongitudinal play. Asillustrated in enlarged showings in Figs. 3 10 and 4, such resilient closed ring members may take the form' of a sheet metal closed band 8 held to the post 3 b-y bolts 9. 'Ihe closed bandmembers 8 are ofresilient spring sheet or plate stock, and may be maintained in their closed 15 position by the bolts passing through aligned holes III in the over-lapping margins. Desirably the bolt holes Ill are elongated in vertical direction, so as to facilitate a measure of compensative adjustment in leveling up or installing. As a 20 means for retaining the guard rail member 2 in connection with the resilient closed ring members 8, and in juxtaposition with the rounded front faces thereof, a clip means II allowing free relative slippage is provided. In the form shown in Fig. 3 this is a metal bar bent over at each endto form. an engaging lug I2 which rides inside of the closed band member 8, and outside of the rail memberv 2 riding freely on both, with a result that the guard rail may slide longitudinally in 30 front of the closed band member B, and if deilected by impact out of its normal plane, by impact of a vehicle with the rail at a point between a pair of band members, being capable of sliding around the band members with thev clip 35 I I through quite an arc on the circumference or rounded front face of the closedband member 8, as indicated in dotted line position in Fig. 2.

In some such instances the clip may not so slide but in every such case the rail will slide and, .40 as shown in Fig. 2, will bend around the rounded front face ofthe band member and be always tangential thereto, whereby, because of the extent of the curvature of the said front face (the form illustrated being substantially cylindrical), the 45 rail will not be Isharply bent or permanently deformed.

In some cases, particularly where a considerable stretch of ground has to be covered I may also introduce longitudinal tensioning spring means at .50 a point or points between the ends. Such means may desirably take the form of a longitudinally compensative spring, such for instance as coil spring I3, which may be connected to the guard rail member 2 by suitable means, as an arm- 56 extension I4 fastened to the guard rail member and connecting to the eye of a bolt I5 riding within the spring I3, the latter being positioned between the post 3 and a yoke 5 held by take-up nuts on the screwthreaded end of the bolt. It will be understood that the bolt members I5 are freely slidable through appropriate holes in the post. Desirably, a companion spring-anchorage is located adjacent that just described, and directed oppositely, as for instance the spring-member I3' on the bolt-member I5' which likewise is con.- nected to an arm-extension I4! secured to the guard rail member 2. Bracing members I6, I1 are advantageously positioned between the adjacent posts at such point.

The manner of operation of my guard rail construction will be readily apparent.v Normally the guard rail member is maintained in aligned position alongside a highway, and in the event of impact by an automobile, yields at such point more or less, depending upon the angle and force of,

impact of the blow, yielding being permitted by the resilient character of the construction and the mounting. Since the guard rail member is longitudinally movable, the stress of impact is distributed along the system and progressively damped out, instead of being concentrated wholly at the point of impact. 'Ihe manner of engagement between the supportingmeans and the guard rail member makes possible in particular a graduated yielding action, the guard rail not only being allowed to slide past the closed-band members, but the latter also contributing in movement longitudinally and transversely. A

Y ramified shock-absorber system of stress-distribution is thus had, which minimizes damage t0 both automobile and guard rail establishment.

It will be observed that the intermediate longitudinal tensioning means, comprising the spring I3 or the springs I3 and I3 and their anchorage is located Wholly behind and therefore protected or covered by the rail, and leaves the front of the rail unobstructed. l

. Instead of arranging the end take-up or longitudinal-tensioning means comprising the springs 4 in more or less open exposure, in some instances, I'prefer a protected arrangement. As

indicated in Fig. 7, this may comprise in conjunction with the series of supporting means or posts 3a, and the longitudinal guard rail member" 2a, a. longitudinal-tensioning means such as springs 4a on 4stems 1a carried by supports or posts 3a', a projecting housing member I6 being provided at the back and secured to the rail member 2a, enclosing and,completing a bearing means for vthe springs as confined also bythe yoke 5a. A'convenient form for the housing may involve a suitably heavy sheet metal stirrup-like enclosure extending from the end of the rail 2a and perforated for the stems or bolts 1a. With the springs 4a between the stirrup and the yoke 5a., any slight adjustment desired may be had by the nuts on the ends of the stems 1a against the yoke. Resilient means for connecting the rail member to the support means 3a may be incorporated, and preferably will be in the form of resilient closed ring members 8 as above described. y

It will, of course, be realized that the housing I 6 shown inv Fig. 7, and the spring assembly shown in this gure, may be used in the constructions illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6 as I have pre-` tages, the most outstanding of which is the location of a spring between an end post and an adjacent post of the series of posts. Obviously, the spring does not project' outwardly in an unprotected manner, and adjustment of the spring is easily obtained by turning the\ bolt head on the stem 1a'. Additional protective means are provided in the form of the housing I6 so that the spring is doubly ,guarded and in the event of inv pact at this point no projecting bolts will strike the impacting vehicle. Thus it will be seen that I have provided a tenvsioned guard rail in which the tensioning means cannot seriously damage a inV vehicle upon impacttherewith, or injure the vehicle or occupants thereof upon impact therewith.

Ihe several longitudinal tensioning means described above may be constructed and adjusted to provide the desired amount of tensionin the rail,

and I prefer by this means to provide such tension that upon impact of a' vehicle with the rail atv a point between a pair of the members 8, the longitudinal tensioning means will riliently yield and permit the rail toslide and be bent or deflected inwardly and be. bent or wrapped around the rounded front face of the adjacent member or members 8, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to prevent or reducepe-rmanent deformation of the rail, as described above.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made members.

as regards the details described, providedI the means stated in any of the following claims, 'or

ing means therefor, and a.v longitudinally slidablel l rail backed and supported by said closed ring 3. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and a longitudinally slidable guard rail having end spring anchorage,v

and a longitudinally tensioning spring at a point between ends.

4. A guard rail construction, comprising rail supporting means and a longitudinally slidable sheet metal guard rail having end spring anchorage, an arm extension from said rail at ,a point between ends, and a spring anchorage therefor. v

5. A guard rail construction, comprising a longitudinal rail means, supporting means, resili-ent closed ring members between said rail means and said supporting means, a spring for longitudinally tensioning said rail means. and

' means for protecting said spring.

6. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed bandmembers mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal rail member extending along in front of said closed band-members and a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each'closed band-member and en.

closing the rail member..-

7. A guard ra'il construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and Va longitudinally slidable guard rail having end spring anchorage, an arm-extension from said rail at a point be- Azo tween ends, a spring anchorage therefor, another arm-extension from said rail near said rstnamed arm-extension, and a spring anchorage for said second-mentioned arm-extension.

8. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a longitudinally independently movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ring-members, and a longitudinal tensioning end spring for said guard rail.

9. A guard rail construction, comprising a longitudinal sheet metal` rail, resilient closed ring members backing said rail and clips embracing said ring members and rail for permitting longitudinalmovement, a sp-ring for longitudinally tensioning the rail, and a sheet metal housing about said spring and forming a connection to the rail.

10. A. guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a longitudinally movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ring-members, a longitudinal 'tensioning end spring for said guard rail, and a longitudinal tensioning spring at a point between ends.

11. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a. longitudinally movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ring-members, a longitudinal tensioning end spring for said guard rail, an arm-extension from said rail at a point between ends, and a spring anchorage therefor.

12. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of resilient closed ring-members, supporting means therefor, a longitudinally movable rail supported in front of said resilient closed ring-members, a longitudinal tensioning end spring for said guard rail, adjacent arm-extensions from the said rail at a point between ends, and oppositely directed spring anchorages for said arm-extensions.

13. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed bandmembers mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal guard rail member extending along in front of said closed band members, a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, and end spring anchorage for said rail'member.

14. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band members mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal guard rail member extending along in front of said closed bandmembers, a metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an ,end of 'each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, end spring anchorage for said rail member, and a longitudinally tensioning spring at a point between ends.

15. A guard rail construction, comprising supporting means, a series of resilient closed band Gti members mounted along said supporting means, a sheet metal guard' rail member extending along and in front of said closed band members, a. metal clip bar having each end bent over and into an end of each closed band member and enclosing the rail member, end spring anchorage for said rail member, apair of adjacent armW extensions from said raii at a point between ends, and oppositely directed spring anchorages ior irl arm-extensions. f

la guard rail constriction comprising a .iii

series ci posts, a series ci ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means slidably embracing said ring member and said rail to support said4 rail.

17. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means slidably embracing said ring member to support said rail.

18. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of ring members attached to said posts, and a rail extending from ring member to ring member, and means embracing said ring lmember and slidably embracing said rail to support said rail.

19. A guard rail construction comprising supporting means, a longitudinal sheet metal rail,

closed ring members backing said rail and clips embracing said ring members and rail for per- 'mitting longitudinal movement of said rail with respect to said supporting means and a spring longitudinally tensioning said rail.

20. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of supporting posts, a longitudinal sheet metal rail, ring means supporting said rail with respect to said posts, and a spring longitudinally tensioning said rail, said spring being located between an end post of said series of posts and an adjacent post and means protecting said spring from direct impact.

21. A guard rail construction, comprising a series of supporting posts, rail supporting members, and a longitudinal sheet metal rail, said rail extending in front of said posts, means permitting movement of said rail with respect to said members comprising guide clips slidably embrac ing said rail and said members whereby arcuate movement of said clip is obtained under impact.

22. A guard rail construction comprising a Series of supporting posts, rail supporting members on the posts each in the form of a sheet metal ring having a forwardly convex rounded face, a longit-udinal'y extending sheet metal rail supported by the supporting members and against the said faces by means permitting longitudinal sliding movement of the rail, resilient means subjecting the rail to longitudinal tension and yieldable upon impact of a vehicle with the rail at a point between a pairof supporting members to permit the rail to be deflected inwardly and to slide upon the faces and to bend round the curlvatures of said rounded faces, the said rounded faces being of sufficient extent and curving suficienty gradually to substantially prevent localized bending and permanent deformation of the rail at its points of sliding contact therewith upon the occurrence of the maximum impact force and the maximum yielding of the rail.

23. A guard rail construction comprising a. series of supporting posts, rail supporting members of upwardly and downwardly open band form on the posts having forwardly convex rounded faces, a longitudinally extending sheet metal rail supported by the supporting members and against the said faces by clip bars each having its opposite ends bent over and embracing the upper and lower edge portions ci the supporting member and of the rail and p rmitting longitudinal slidresilient rieuns subjectinai tension and yiedable lcwith the rail at a point Aortirng; members to permit ly and to slide upon curvatures of said faces being of -ally to substantially prevent permanent deformation of the rail atv its points of bending thereon rupon the occurrence ofo the maximum impact force and the maximum yielding of the rail.

24. A guard rail construction comprising a resilient rail support in the form of a tubular spring having a rounded outwardly convex front wall, and a clip bar having its opposite ends bent to loosely embrace the upper and lower edges of the front wall and having its intermediate portion spacedA from the front wall and a guard rail between the intermediate portion and the said front wall, and a post for supporting the support.

25. In a guard rail construction a resilient rail support in the form of a sheet metal tubular spring with edges of the metal at the back of the tube and having a. rounded outwardly convex front wall, and a clip bar having its opposite ends bent to loosely embrace the upper and lower edges of the front wall and having its intermediate portions spaced from the front wall, a guard rail betweeny the intermediate portion and the said vfront fwall, and a post supporting the support.

26. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of sheet metal springs mounted on the posts by means securing a portion of each spring to a post, the springs having each 'a substantially vertical front portion spaced from the post, a guard rail extending along and in engagement with the front portions of the springs, the springs being yieldable toward the posts upon 'impact of a vehicle with the rail at a. point-adjacent to Ithe spring and the rail being connected directly to and the weight of the 4rail being carried by the springs through the agency og means allowing unlimited sliding movement of tue, rail relative to 'the springs and the springs being substantially unyieldable'in vertical direction and thereby maintaining the said from portiorIis substantially vertical while supporting the 27. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of resilient rail supports on the posts, a guard rail extending along the series of resilient supports, the resilient supports having rounded front faces in juxtaposition with the rail, the resilient rail supports being yieldable toward the posts upon the impact of a vehicle with the rail lat a point adjacent to the support, resilient yieldable means subjecting the rail to longitudinal tension and the rail being connected to and carried directly by the resilient supports by means allowing unlimited sliding-movement of the rail relative to the supports effected by deflection of the rail upon vehicle impact therewith at a point between a pair of resilient supports, and the rounded faces of the supports permitting the deflected rail to bend around the supports without permanent distortion of the rail thereat.

28. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of resilient rail supports on the posts, a. guard rail extending along the series .of resilient supports, the resilient supports having rounded front. faces in juxtaposition with the rail, the resilient rail supports being yieldable toward the posts upon the impact of a vehicle withuthe rail at a point adjacent to the support, resilient. yieldable means subjecting the rail to longitudinal tension and the rail having free longitudinal movement relative to the posts upon ldeflectionof the lrail by vehicle impact therewith at a point between a pair of resilient supports and the rounded 'faces of the supports permitting the deflected rail tovbend around the supports without permanent distortion of the rail thereat and permitting the resilient means to retract the deflected rail afterl the deecting impact force has been removed.

29. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means, and a longitudinally slidable guard r'ailhaving end spring anchorage, and a longitudinally tensioning spring at a point between ends and wholly behind the rail.

30. A guard rail construction, comprising guard rail supporting means and a longitudi-` nally slidable sheet metal guard rail having end spring anchorage, an arm extension from said rail at a point between ends, and a spring anchoranchorage being Wholly behind the rail.

31. A guard rail construction comprising guard rail supporting means, a guard rail supported to slide longitudinally of the supporting means, a plurality of resilient means and an anchorage for each disposed intermediately of the ends of the rail, each said intermediate resilient means tensioning a. different portion of the whole rail, and the plurality of intermediate resilient means being disposed wholly behind the rail."

32. A guard rail construction comprising guard rail supporting means, a guard rail supmeans', the rail having resilient means at its opposite ends for tensioning the rail as awhole, a plurality of resilient means and an anchorage for each-disposed intermediately of the ends of the rail, each said intermediate resilient means tensioning a portion of the whole rail, and the plurality of intermediate resilient means being disposed Wholly behind the rail. v

33. A guard rail construction comprising guard rail supporting means, a guard rail supported on the supporting means, a plurality of resilient means and an anchorage for each disposed intermediately of the ends of the rail. each said intermediate resilient means tensioning a differage therefor, the arm extension and the spring y ported to slide longitudinally of the supporting ent portion of the whole rail and the plurality of intermediate resilient means being disposed' Wholly behind the rail 34. A guard rail construction comprising guard rail supporting means, a guard rail supported on the supporting means, the rail having resilient means at its opposite ends for* tensioning the rail as a whole, a plurality of resilient means and an anchorage for each disposed intermediately of the ends of the rail, each said intermediate resilient means tensioning a portion of the whole rail and the plurality of intermediate resilient means being disposed wholly behind the rail.

35. A guard rail construction comprisingguard rail supporting means, a longitudinally extending guard rail having spring means at the end for exerting longitudinal tension on the rail and' spring means disposed at a point between the ends of the rail and Wholly behind the rail and normally exerting resilient force on the rail on a line of spring action in the longitudinal direction of the rail for exerting longitudinal tension on a portion of the rail. l I

36. A guard rail construction comprising rail supporting means and a longitudinally extending sheet metal guard rail having an end spring and ananchorage therefor to longitudinally tension the rail, means extending from the back side of the rail at a point between its ends and comprisving a second spring and an anchorage therefor the second spring and anchorage being wholly behind the rail.

37. A guardrail construction comprising a resilient rail support in the form of a tubular spring having a rounded outwardly convex front wall, and a clip bar having its opposite ends bent to loosely embrace the upper and lower edges of the front wall and having its intermediate portion spaced from the wall to receive aguard rail between the intermediate portion and the said front wall and the spring provided with qneans by which it may be secured to a post.

38. In a guard rail construction a resilient rail support in the form of ar sheet metal tubular spring with edgesof the metal overlapping at the back of the tube and having a rounded outwardly convex front wall, and a clip bar having its opposite ends bent to loosely embrace the upper yand lower edges of the front Wall and havi'ng its intermediate portion spaced from the front wall to receive a .guard rail between the intermediate portion and the said front wall and the support having means associated with the said overlapping edges for mounting the support on a`post.

39. A guard rail construction comprising a series of posts, a series of resilient rail supports on the posts, each in the form of a sheet metal tube with the edges of the sheet metal at the back of the tube and having a forwardly convex unbroken unobstructed rounded face, a. guard rail extending along-the series of resilient supports in juxtaposition with the rounded faces, the resilient rail supports being yieldable toward the posts upon the impact of a vehicle with the rail at a point adjacent to the support,- resilient yieldable means subjecting the rail to longitudinal tension and the rail being connected to and carried directly by the resilient supports by means allowing unlimited sliding movement of the rail relative tothe supports effected by deiiection of the rail upon vehicle impact therewith at a point between a pairvof resilient supports and the rounded faces of the supports permitting the deected rail to bend around the supports without permanent distortion of the rail thereat.

40. A road guard construction comprising a series of posts, a series of resilient sheet metal supports attached to said posts, the supportsA having each a forwardly convex surface, a guard rail extending from support to support and in juxtaposition with said surfaces and means mounting the rail uponthe supports, permitting longitudinal sliding movement relative to the supports.

WILLIAM R. BAXTER. 

